Ponderable polemics, poetic

WordPress site of poet Mark Lucker

Contemporary Life

  • The Poet Takes His Meds

    I recently had a ‘heart procedure’doctor clearing out nearly blocked arteryeliminated offending clog with a new stentNow I take medication to keep my blood thinnerflowing more freely The med’s name – clopidogrel – amuses me greatly asI have composed plenty of doggerel inmy many years ofwaxing poeticBut knowing nothing of pharmaceutical naming conventions Ihave to Read more

  • Pseudo 23

    Modern-day Psalmistsplying their trade via pithy sayingsbasic fonts, splashy backdropsportmanteaus of varying interpretation revelationsshifting dunes rounded byprevailing winds as arid, accepted gospellacking lyricism posted for the world byself-anointed prophetsclaiming persecution, occasionally lapsing into lamenting angstbitterly masquerading as witpleading cases to merciful gods/laptop Pharisees issuing agreeable protestationsnever to grasp ‘liking’ is not prayerweeping ideograms donot denote Read more

  • Ghosts of Niemöller

    First they came for the immigrantsAnd I did not speak out Because I was not an immigrantMy ancestors were, but that was differentThen they came for the Socialists And I did not speak out Even though America is kind of socialistBut real socialists are evil – so they sayThen they came for the trade unionists Read more

  • January, won

    The first day of a new yearcliché is the currency we traffic innew pages are turnedexpectations for whateverlies aheadexceedingly optimistic self-talk, public proclamationspersonal plans for change, regenerationrenewal carries vagueexpiration date mentally stamped at factorywarning us with certaintylike a gallon of milk ‘hopes will curdle if not used by…’Those with calendars still hanging from walls,refrigeratorsripping last Read more

  • Inheritances

    This is a dark time for many Americansamong the more somber of my lifehopefulness has trouble finding any sort of foothold, sense of balanceMonths away from retirement I already see the tarnish descending on my planned golden yearssitting in a recliner with my feet up letting others take up the resistance just doesn’t sit well Read more

  • Oops.

    “I like to live my life the way I type – fast, and with a lot of mistakes.” – Anonymous Mistakes have always been madecorrections ever problematic the ancients inscribing in clayused wet thumb to smooth outill-placed < \ x = # or ^when caught before the sun bakederrors into eternity rune carvers had less Read more

  • Sampling

    Sitting at a brewery rural, northern Minnesota tasting a variety of beers, ales small flights of five A couple – mid-twenties sits across from us they too, are sampling each other – first timers comparing dating app peccadillos head-scratching mismatches awkward exchanges preferences for beer types, each other quickly give way to comfortable laughter Another Read more

  • More

    A woman I know mid-fiftieswent protestingfirst timer missing out asteenagerwith strict parentsshe wanted‘self-fulfillment’ Seeing her a fewdays later I asked if she foundwhat she had been seeking “Yes and no” she smiled ruefully“I fell in with a group of college kidswho poured milk on my face”quickly adding “for the tear gas” Her voice trailed.“It wasn’t Read more

  • Nonmonochromic

    My yin blue yang red cold, hot spiritual Rock’em Sock’em Robots equal footing confined battle to the end “He knocked his block off!” proclaimed black-and-white TV commercial peers of my youth in victorious awe such is the nature of my id whapwhapwhap kaaa-chinng! Block knocked off. Stoic head pushed back down locking in with sharp Read more

  • Elegy for Them All

    Twenty-two. Thirty-four, twenty-seven thirty-nine Cancer, leukemia, suicide insidious bastards, each ‘gone too soon’ ‘in a better place’ sycophant salutations of condolence We hardly knew ye Sons, daughters of old friends. A cousin. Classmates of our children. All too vivid reminders “There but for the grace of God…” not at all feeling full of grace single: Read more